


Underfoot

by Karasuno Volleygays (ToBeOrNotToBeAGryffindor)



Series: Valentine's Kisses 2019 [4]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Injury Recovery, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-04
Updated: 2019-01-04
Packaged: 2019-10-04 08:44:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17301512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ToBeOrNotToBeAGryffindor/pseuds/Karasuno%20Volleygays
Summary: Kuroo did everything he could to make life easier for a guy with a broken ankle, and he knew despite Kenma's objections that his well-intentioned hovering came from a good place.





	Underfoot

Kuroo looked around the apartment one last time, doggedly searching for anything he needed to move, adjust, or chuck out the window lest it prove dangerous to the other resident of his humble home — the resident who would be stumping into the room at any minute propelled by crutches.

After all, Kenma wasn’t used to this sort of thing, so Kuroo had to make sure he had everything he needed. What he needed, however, was time.

It had been a strange course of events that led to Kenma ending up with a broken ankle. His first attempt at a video game featuring a dance mat had not gone precisely to plan, but it had the distinction of being one of the more hilarious things Kuroo had seen after the shock of Kenma’s pain-pinched face wore off.

Sure all the pointy edges in the house were either blunted or removed, Kuroo finally let Kenma hobble through the door.

“That really wasn’t necessary,” Kenma said, moving past Kuroo and toward the couch. “I live here, too. I can get around. I have a broken ankle, I’m not a baby.”

“You don’t know that,” Kuroo said, pulling back the kotatsu a little further, making sure there was plenty of clearance for the crutches.

Kenma sighed. “You really don’t need to worry so much.” 

However, as Kuroo watched Kenma gingerly lower himself onto the couch, he begged to differ. He bustled around, gathering throw blankets and pillows for Kenma to prop up his maimed foot and relax, only to be swatted away by his crotchety patient. “Stop that.”

“Don’t wanna.” Kuroo abandoned the pile of bedding in favor of retrieving the small cooler of Kenma’s favorite bottled beverages to set near the couch. “So you don’t have to get up.”

Mouth open presumably to tell Kuroo to mind his own business, Kenma took a deep breath and said instead, “Thank you. That was very nice of you.” He yawned loudly and gave a watery smile. “Pain pills are strange.”

“Yeah.” Kuroo sat on the edge of the kotatsu and watched Kenma burrow into the hoard of blankets and pillows, adjusting whatever Kenma couldn’t reach and ignoring the resulting protests.

It didn’t take long to get Kenma situated, and even less time for him to doze off. His face relaxed from a combination of slumber and medication, Kenma seemed to be at peace for the first time since his mobility was snatched away by a fateful round of DDR.

Kuroo flitted around the apartment once again, gathering everything Kenma would need to keep himself busy while Kuroo was at work. Handheld games: check. Laptop: check. The remote for every electronic device in the place: check. Stockpile of snacks: check. 

“Go to work,” Kenma grumbled from his cocoon, voice thick with the onset of sleep. “I’ll be fine.”

Giving Kenma a thumbs-up, Kuroo grinned and said, “Yeah, yeah. While I’m gone, make like an Urodela and regenerate.”

Kenma turned over and groaned. “I don’t know what that means.”

That coaxed a chuckle from Kuroo. “I’ll be home soon. Take it easy.”

When the door shut behind him, Kuroo heaved a sigh. He wasn’t going to be able to concentrate on a damn thing all day, but Kenma needed rest and both of them needed the rent paid. So off he went with a persistent itch to turn around and go back home.

Later that evening, Kuroo slumped into the elevator of their apartment building, tired to the bone from spending most of the night at the hospital and all day at work. He couldn’t think about that, though. Before he could pass out, he needed to make sure Kenma had everything he needed.

The apartment was dark when he entered, and he pulled out his phone to provide soft lighting in case Kenma was asleep. However, the couch was empty and the mountain of supplies Kuroo left were gone, save for the games and remotes, which were neatly lined up on the kotatsu.

Finally flipping on the light, Kuroo frantically raced through the apartment, all thoughts of exhaustion gone. The kitchen recycling contained the remnants of snack wrappers and drink bottles. His sleepy brain even compelled him to crack open the refrigerator to see if Kenma was in there before he could stop himself. The pantry yielded similar results, which was to say nothing was there that didn’t belong.

Halfway through closing the pantry door, Kuroo tilted his head back and let out a wry chuckle. He must have been tired, and also an idiot.

He snagged a bottle of water from the fridge and headed to bed instead, where he found Kenma curled up beneath the covers as expected. At the sound of the door creaking open, Kenma’s head popped out from under the bedspread. “You’re home.”

Kuroo shed his trousers and shirtsleeves, carelessly draping them on the chair at the corner desk. “Yep. I live here. Can you believe it?”

Kenma chortled, which rapidly contorted into a loud yawn. “These pills make me sleepy.”

“They’re supposed to.” Kuroo peeled back the covers and eased himself gratefully into the comforting embrace of the mattress Kenma picked out when they first moved in. “Your ankle feeling okay?”

Shifting onto his back, Kenma hummed. “I think I’m high right now.”

That drew a guffaw from Kuroo. “You sure are, babe.” Not willing to let himself pass out until he knew for himself that Kenma was progressing okay, he lifted the covers at Kenma’s feet and inspected the cast protecting Kenma’s injured ankle. It was still stark white, but Kuroo aimed to change that soon with the power of a magic marker and his mediocre art skills.

He smiled and brushed his lips against the plastered surface. “Get well soon, Kenma.”

“Planning on it,” Kenma murmured, voice already petering out as sleep began to reassert itself. “Come to bed and stop hovering.”

“Yes, dear.” With that, Kuroo slipped into the bed and opened his arm to Kenma, who immediately melded against his side. Now he knew Kenma was high; he rarely ever wanted to cuddle.

Kuroo was barely still conscious when he heard it, that soft little mumble in a voice he knew so well for so many years:

“Thank you for taking care of me.”

“Anytime.” With that, Kuroo finally let sleep drag him off, able to rest easy knowing Kenma was truly going to be all right.

**Author's Note:**

> Urodela: the taxonomic order for critters such as salamanders, who are able to regenerate lost limbs


End file.
